MLK At Dartmouth

We have arrived once again to that time of the school year when we pause to honor Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The pause is a critical time for us to examine the progress made toward justice since our gathering a year ago. This year has been a challenge for the nation and for the world. Decades of progress in the areas of social justice and equality appear to be threatened by careless actions and oppressive polices. For many, the faith in the pursuit of happiness for all is being threatened by isolationism and divisive measures. If we ever needed to hear the voices of our ancestors-- all oppressed groups who gave their lives for the freedoms we deserve-- we need to hear their voices deep in our center of consciousness now and take action.

As we spend time together as a community, let us recommit ourselves to honoring and living the legacy of Rev. King. Let us not forget his fight for the poor, the hungry, the unemployed, the imprisoned, those fighting in wars that they did not cause and those who were willing to die as free people than to continue to live as political slaves. We look forward to sharing this time with the Dartmouth and Upper Valley communities and hope that you will gain strength from the programs ahead.